A nonpartisan group led by a former top Bush administration official concluded a two-year review on Tuesday that finds the former president and his top advisers knowingly ordered interrogation techniques that U.S. officials have previously referred to as torture.

Well, I don't know how many other countries would get away with an illegal invasion, killing more civilians than so called terrorists, the best part of the story being that those innocent people were killed because their puny existence got in the way of oil. It's not quite Hitler level of jackass but give it a couple more invasions (Iran, North Korea) and we're getting there.

As a sidenote: I'd be surprised if anybody was themselves surprised at this Bush revelation. No good scumbag.

Edited by Heaven Is A Halfpipe, 17 April 2013 - 12:06 AM.

You can go the distance, you can run the mile and you can walk straight through HELL with a smile.

Well, I don't know how many other countries would get away with an illegal invasion, killing more civilians than so called terrorists, and actually get away with it - the best part of the story being that those people were killed because their puny existence got in the way of oil. It's not quite Hitler level of jackass but give it a couple more invasions (Iran, North Korea) and we're getting there.

As a sidenote: I'd be surprised if anybody was themselves surprised at this Bush revelation. No good scumbag.

Good point. Its also fair to say that the average citizen in the west is unaware of the west brutal impact to average citizens of affected countries.

Compare these two articles from CNN today. The first about "militant youths" in Pakistan, which dismisses the deaths of woman and children in a single sentance.

Quote

Ninety-nine percent of the boys, I am told, have never heard of Osama bin Laden, despite the fact he was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in the next valley over from here. What has radicalized these boys instead, the school's director says, is what turns teenagers the world over to crime: poverty, poor education, limited prospects and often lack of parental control.

It is in this setting that the boys have made ready recruits for Taliban scouts who wean them on tales of the U.S. drone strikes that have killed scores of Pakistani women and children over the past few years.

Monday's terror attack on the Boston Marathon killed an 8-year-old boy watching with his family, a 29-year-old woman loved by her family and friends and a Boston University graduate student near the finish line with two friends. More than 180 others were wounded, many losing limbs as a result of horrific twin blasts near the race's finish line, in the heart of the city

According to this article, Bush's drone strikes killed 438 people, and Obama's have killed 2,152 people. This includes women and children. Most killed are civilians...

Quote

An October report on the secret U.S. drone war in Pakistan says the attacks have killed far more civilians than acknowledged, traumatized a nation and undermined international law. In “Living Under Drones,” researchers conclude the drone strikes “terrorize men, women, and children, giving rise to anxiety and psychological trauma among civilian communities.”

U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan have killed far more people than the United States has acknowledged, have traumatized innocent residents and largely been ineffective, according to a new study released Tuesday.
The study by Stanford Law School and New York University's School of Law calls for a re-evaluation of the practice, saying the number of "high-level" targets killed as a percentage of total casualties is extremely low -- about 2%.
The report accuses Washington of misrepresenting drone strikes as "a surgically precise and effective tool that makes the U.S. safer," saying that in reality, "there is significant evidence that U.S. drone strikes have injured and killed civilians."
It also casts doubts on Washington's claims that drone strikes produce zero to few civilian casualties and alleges that the United States makes "efforts to shield the drone program from democratic accountability."

Maybe not necessarily the West but America has been the good guy since at least WWII. I suppose you were one of those that cheered when Margaret Thatcher died? American Hegemony has given the world relative peace in the nuclear age.

Heaven Is A Halfpipe, on 17 April 2013 - 12:01 AM, said:

Well, I don't know how many other countries would get away with an illegal invasion,

Another misinformed stooge. The Iraq invasion was probably the most legal war in history. Bush did his homework and every “I” was dotted and every “T” crossed. The only thing you can really blame Bush for is that he over hyped the war and Phase IV of OPPlan 1003 was not very well thought out. But there’s an axiom that states that when the shooting starts, you can throw even the best laid plans out the window.

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killing more civilians than so called terrorists,

That unfortunately happens in any and all conflicts. Between 80 and 100 thousand Iraqis died and most of them were insurgents or civilians that died from insurgent actions. Despite popular belief, our forces kept collateral damage down to an absolute minimum. From your statements, I can only conclude that all you have access to was the MSM. My brother experienced this stuff first hand. Almost everything he relayed to me was the exact opposite from what the MSM reported. Typical.

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the best part of the story being that those innocent people were killed because their puny existence got in the way of oil.

Still quaffing the koolaid. This was not a conquest for oil but oil does play a part. Can you imagine what the price of oil would have been if Saddam stayed in power and was allowed to develop his WMDs even further? Why do you think Chirac pushed France to build up their nuclear plant infrastructure while supporting Saddam?

Of course, Bush had Cheney and Halliburton but think about it. If it wasn’t Halliburton, it would have been somebody else. The more curious thing to look into is the price fixing going on under the current Administration. He has said on several occasions that he wants the price of oil to go up so that we would have to deal with his pet green energy companies. Energy sources are pretty important to the entire world and those in power are going to manipulate it.

Quote

It's not quite Hitler level of jackass but give it a couple more invasions (Iran, North Korea) and we're getting there.

WoW! How totally unaware you are. You would compare the possible (if needed) invasion of Iran or NK to Hitler’s conquest of Europe? What is the British educational system teaching? I think you need to change halfpipe to bong.

Quote

As a sidenote: I'd be surprised if anybody was themselves surprised at this Bush revelation. No good scumbag.

I never was. But then I support torture. It is an integral part of war. Now to clarify, I support data mining as opposed to what most people are brainwashed to believe that torture only fulfills the sadistic fancy of a few.

Maybe not necessarily the West but America has been the good guy since at least WWII. I suppose you were one of those that cheered when Margaret Thatcher died? American Hegemony has given the world relative peace in the nuclear age.

Another misinformed stooge. The Iraq invasion was probably the most legal war in history. Bush did his homework and every "I" was dotted and every "T" crossed. The only thing you can really blame Bush for is that he over hyped the war and Phase IV of OPPlan 1003 was not very well thought out. But there's an axiom that states that when the shooting starts, you can throw even the best laid plans out the window.

That unfortunately happens in any and all conflicts. Between 80 and 100 thousand Iraqis died and most of them were insurgents or civilians that died from insurgent actions. Despite popular belief, our forces kept collateral damage down to an absolute minimum. From your statements, I can only conclude that all you have access to was the MSM. My brother experienced this stuff first hand. Almost everything he relayed to me was the exact opposite from what the MSM reported. Typical.

Still quaffing the koolaid. This was not a conquest for oil but oil does play a part. Can you imagine what the price of oil would have been if Saddam stayed in power and was allowed to develop his WMDs even further? Why do you think Chirac pushed France to build up their nuclear plant infrastructure while supporting Saddam?

Of course, Bush had Cheney and Halliburton but think about it. If it wasn't Halliburton, it would have been somebody else. The more curious thing to look into is the price fixing going on under the current Administration. He has said on several occasions that he wants the price of oil to go up so that we would have to deal with his pet green energy companies. Energy sources are pretty important to the entire world and those in power are going to manipulate it.

WoW! How totally unaware you are. You would compare the possible (if needed) invasion of Iran or NK to Hitler's conquest of Europe? What is the British educational system teaching? I think you need to change halfpipe to bong.

I never was. But then I support torture. It is an integral part of war. Now to clarify, I support data mining as opposed to what most people are brainwashed to believe that torture only fulfills the sadistic fancy of a few.

Thanks for making the assumption that I would celebrate the death of anybody. This is England, not America, we don't (in masses) celebrate the death of other people. Especially after getting dooped over by our own country that some man in a cave co-ordinated two planes to crash into the World Trade Centers. You really think America is the "good guy" in the world right now? You're off you're freaking rocker.

I'm perfectly informed as to how the Iraq war happened and I think you'll find it was an illegal invasion. We didn't hold a legal inquiry in Britain for nothing my friend. We had an inquiry because the British people are not sheep and know right and wrong when they see it and we demand justice.

I don't even know what the MSM is supposed to stand for so I guess you failed to discredit me there, too. You're not very good at these assumptions are you? I guess your brother is an authority on the entire conflict. He's just another pawn being used for unjustified wars and I pray he doesn't die for his blind loyalty to a terrorist state.

I actually said it wasn't quite Hitler level yet, perhaps your American education isn't all that good, but if you can't see all these invasions of middle eastern nations + potential Iran and NK as exactly what Hitler was doing having parallels, you might as well join the forces yourself and blindly serve your nation. Of course you support torture, it's okay so long as it's America who does it, right? But it's wrong when another nation does it.

You're just another pompous American who is going to one day realise your nation isn't as all powerful and mighty as you're taught it is. I really hope America doesn't come crying to Britain for help (again) with NK and Iran because I'm sick of my nation dragged into these little fights that you can't fight yourself. Your brother might serve but I know people who serve too and they deserve better than to have their lives thrown into jeopardy over the chess game of politics America likes to play with the world.

You got a problem with NK and Iran? Invade them yourself, don't expect others to help you. Though we both know the first place America is going to come begging.

God bless.

Edited by Heaven Is A Halfpipe, 17 April 2013 - 05:50 PM.

You can go the distance, you can run the mile and you can walk straight through HELL with a smile.

Thanks for making the assumption that I would celebrate the death of anybody. This is England, not America, we don't (in masses) celebrate the death of other people. Especially after getting dooped over by our own country that some man in a cave co-ordinated two planes to crash into the World Trade Centers. You really think America is the "good guy" in the world right now? You're off you're freaking rocker.

I'm perfectly informed as to how the Iraq war happened and I think you'll find it was an illegal invasion. We didn't hold a legal inquiry in Britain for nothing my friend. We had an inquiry because the British people are not sheep and know right and wrong when they see it and we demand justice.

I don't even know what the MSM is supposed to stand for so I guess you failed to discredit me there, too. You're not very good at these assumptions are you? I guess your brother is an authority on the entire conflict. He's just another pawn being used for unjustified wars and I pray he doesn't die for his blind loyalty to a terrorist state.

I actually said it wasn't quite Hitler level yet, perhaps your American education isn't all that good, but if you can't see all these invasions of middle eastern nations + potential Iran and NK as exactly what Hitler was doing having parallels, you might as well join the forces yourself and blindly serve your nation. Of course you support torture, it's okay so long as it's America who does it, right? But it's wrong when another nation does it.

You're just another pompous American who is going to one day realise your nation isn't as all powerful and mighty as you're taught it is. I really hope America doesn't come crying to Britain for help (again) with NK and Iran because I'm sick of my nation dragged into these little fights that you can't fight yourself. Your brother might serve but I know people who serve too and they deserve better than to have their lives thrown into jeopardy over the chess game of politics America likes to play with the world.

You got a problem with NK and Iran? Invade them yourself, don't expect others to help you. Though we both know the first place America is going to come begging.

God bless.

Just as your country came begging in WWI and WWII? Like France came begging in Vietnam? Like most of western Europe begged us to keep troops in Europe after WWII ended to help keep the Russians at bay? I see, it is OK for your country to ask us to help them in a war, but not ok for us to ask them to help us in a war.

" Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything —you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him" - Robert Heinlein